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STR role is to train rookies, says Tost

December 14, 2011

Former Scuderia Toro Rosso teammate Jaime Alguersuari speaks to boss Franz Tost this past October at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan. Tost says the role of his team is that of a “rookie training school.” Photo by LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

Scuderia Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost says the role of his team is that of a “rookie training school.”

“Our driver lineup had been under discussion for a long time, as it is obviously a vital component of the team's performance,” said Tost in an interview issued by the team. “The final decision was taken in a meeting at Red Bull headquarters in Austria” on Dec. 13.

“We do not wish to discuss our driver contracts, but let's just say that it is their performance level in the car that is the deciding factor, and if they do a good job, this will help their cause in terms of how long they stay with us.”

Regarding the departures of Buemi and Alguersuari, Tost said, “Sébastien has been with us for three seasons and Jaime for two and a half. Both of them worked hard for the team, doing their very best and achieving some good results.

“However, Scuderia Toro Rosso's ethos has always been that of the ‘rookie training school' and with over two seasons under your belt, you are no longer a rookie. In an ideal world, drivers would move from Scuderia Toro Rosso to Red Bull Racing, but there are no vacancies with our sister team right now. It might be seen as a harsh decision, but Formula One is a tough environment, and Toro Rosso has always been very clear about the principles behind its driver choice.”

Tost denied that it was frustrating to have to take rookie drivers.

“No, it's not frustrating; in fact, quite the opposite. It is a very interesting experience for everyone in the team to work with young drivers, and it means you can educate them the way you want. Everyone, from the race engineers to the communications people, can try and give the new drivers good habits, which they can use for the rest of their career.”

He said that despite his experience, Ricciardo wouldn't be regarded as the No. 1 driver.

“No, although given that he has some actual F1 racing experience, it would be natural for him to settle into the job more quickly. However, Jean-Eric has shown he learns rapidly, so I expect him to be on the pace quite soon. It will be important for the team to ensure we give them as many kilometers as possible in winter testing.

“It is always good to know who your drivers are as early as possible. For one thing, weeks of speculation are usually disruptive to the work of a team. Although we know our two new drivers quite well, it also means they can already start working with the engineers, assimilating information and even having some input into minor details regarding the new car. It also means I can be sure they are taking their winter fitness training very seriously!”